Complications Related to the Surgical Management of Patients with Skeletal Dysplasias and Connective Tissue Diseases

In addition to complications of spine surgery in achondroplasia (Chapter 39), many other skeletal dysplasias and connective tissue disorders may cause spinal problems. This chapter will first cover other skeletal dysplasias, followed by connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In each section we will summarize the unique features and challenges of each condition, followed by a discussion of intraoperative complications, postoperative surgical complications, and postoperative medical complications.